Anchor nut structure and the manufacture thereof



June 3, 1941. c. A. SWANSITROM ANCHOR NUT STRUCTURE AUD THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed May 24', 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet a M E BY dZC-Huav June 3, 1941. c. A. SWANSTROM 2,243,923

ANCHOR NUT STRUCTURE ANI? THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed May 24, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A! ZINVENTQR the limited range of such meme June 3,1941

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE ancnoa nor .srancruas an m mnmic-runs rnsnsor CarlA. em mmmnmm smut stop Not cocoa-sum, Elisabeth, x. 1..

a corporation of-New Jersey muaumn, s4, ism-semi n seats:

1: cum. (cl. 29-14:)

The present invention relates to nut structures and the manufacture thereof and has particular reference to two-piece nut structures of the kind in which a nut is held in assembled relation to have limited movement in an anchor member which in turn is adapted to be secured to a memmay be'assembled before attachment to the element to be fastened thereby or assembled with facility after the anchor member has been seber to be fastened to another by cooperation of r the nut with a bolt or screw threaded therethrough. Nut structure assemblies of the above kind are usually. referred to in the trade as anchor nuts. Still more particularly the invention relates to anchor nut structures in which the anchor member is adapted to be secured to relacured to such element; to provide an anchor nut.

structure whicnpermits ready removal of a nut assembled in a permanently secured anchor member for insertion of a replacement nut; to

- provide an anchor nut structure in which the tiv'ely thin plate members through which the bolt I or screw cooperating with the nut portion of the anchor nut structure is adapted to pass from the side of the plate remote from the side to which the anchor nut structure is attached.

The invention further relates to improved methods of assembly of the nut and anchor-member portions of anchor nut structures of the kind under consideration, whereby to permit limited lateral movement of the nut, but not rotation,

relative to the anchor member and with the lateralmovement of the nut subject to a desired predetermined degree of restraint..

In accordance with the present invention the nut structure consists of a nut proper, preferably of the self-locking type, and an anchor member, preferably of thin sheet metal, having porlimited lateral motion of the nut in the anchor member is restrained by frictional resistance between parts of the structure to an extent such that while laterally. movable within the anchor member, the nut will not-shift therein due. either to gravity or the inertia of the nut; and to provide a novel method of assembling the nut andv anchor member portions of an anchor nut structure by means of which the desired frictional resistance between the component parts of' the tions adapted'tobe bent into inter-engaging reparts in desired assembled reiationand havinga further portion or portions adapted to be used to secure the assembled structure to a member to be fastened. Further in accordance with the lation with portions of the nut to hold the two form of invention, the portions of the anchor member 7 which are bent into inter-engaging relation with P rtions ofthe nut are either bent or subjected to further operation after bending so as to producea desired friction producing pressure between the assembled parts, to thereby prevent free and wholly unrestrained lateral movement of the nut relative to the anchor member within lateral movement of the nut;

The general objects of the invention are to provide new and improved anchor nut structure which will permit limited lateral movement of the nut element of such a structure permanently secured in place on a part to be fastened thereby;

to provide anchor nut structure which is simple and cheap in construction and which provides relatively great strength with the minimum of weight; to provide anchor nut structure which assembly is attained by bending, or subjecting to pressure after bending, the nut retaining portions of the anchor member which are bent into inter-engaging relation with the nut.

7 Other and more detailed objects of the invention, the manner in which they areattained, and the advantages to be derived from use of the invention, will best be understood from considera tion of the ensuing portion of this specification, descriptive of different forms -of structure and methods of fabrication thereof for carrying the invention into eflect, 'taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which: p Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank for making one anchor member according to the invention:

1'58. 2 is a assembled with the blank shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing a preferred form of self-10019 ing nutstructure; a i

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing thenut illustrated in Fig. 2 partly assembled in the an- -chor member or Fig. 1;-

section taken on the line 6-6 of plan view of a nut adapted to be sembled condition; and

8 Fig. 10 is atop plan view broken away in part d of another form of assembled nut unit;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of still another form of assembled nut unit;

Fig. 12 illustrates a blank from which still another form of anchormember may be formed:

Fig. 13 is a top plan view broken'away in part showing this latter form of unit in as- Fig.1! is a view taken along the line il-l l of Fig. 13 and showing this form of unit in finally assembled and mounted state.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to c, the anchor member indicated generally at n is formed by stamping or otherwise forming from thin sheet metal stock, preferably of some light weight metal such asalmninum, w alloys thereof. Fig. 1 illustrates the form in which the blank is cut and by reference to this figure it will be observed that the blank comprises a central base portion it having an aperture II, from which central portion two oppositely extending anchoring lugs i6 and I8 project.

These lugs are provided respectivelywith apertures 20 and 22 for rivets or other suitable elements for fastening the anchor member to-a part such as a plate or the like which is to be lastened by the bolt and nut connection. For convenience these lugs may be considered aspmjecting. longitudinally' of the blank. The blank is further provided with two. laterally projecting ears 2! and 28 which are in the form of loops providing the slots it and 30 respectively. r

The nut for use with the anchor member just described, and illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a nut body I! having a threaded bore ll the uppeg end of which is coimterbored to pro-' vide a recess in'which an elastic locking insert ii, preferably'made of vulcanized fibre or its equivalent, is secured by crimping the top edge a ofthe nut body. The external sectional c'on-- -tourofthenutbodymaybeofanydesiredform I but is advantageously'icircular as'indicated in Fig. 2. The base ofthe nut body has a iian'ge portion in the form of two oppositely dispose lugs or projections ll and 42 which as indicated are relatively thin and the lateral dimension 1: of which is materially less than the length I: of the openings 28 and ll in the anchor member.

The thickness 0 of the lugson the nut is advantageously, although not n e W: made the sameasthewidthdoftheopeningsllandll in' the anchor member. The diameter of the opening llintheanchormemberismadesomewhat larger than the bore of the nut.

In the nut and anchor member-one of the ears of the anchor member, for example the ear 24, is advantageously bent upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4 along a line indicatedbythedottediineeinFigLso'tha'ta partof theopeningaliesintheplaneofthe bentearflwhilea artoftheopeningliesin the plane of the base portion It. With the ear- I bent up in this manner, and that the thickness c of the nut flange II is equal to the widthdoftheopening2l,itwillbeevident thatinordertoinsertthehigintheopeninglt willbenecessarytodirectthenutintotheopening angularly as indicated lung. 4. with the nutangula'rlyinsertedinthismannerthelug ispushed throughtheopening iluntilthebody ofthenutabutsagainsttheearll. Aswiilbe seen from Fig. 5. the width of the base portion 12 of the anchor member betweenthe lateral ears is such that with the nut body pushed over into contact with car il theoppositeearlt maybe bent upwardly over the opposite nut lug (I. This however can be" done only by presslng.the nut down flat against the base portion I: of the anchor member. The slight distortion. todothiswillresultintheupperiacesolthe lugs GI and I! ofthe out being in frictional cone tact'with the edges 44 and' it of the respective openings 28 and 30. Obviously the bottom face ofthenutbodywillalsobeinfrictionalcontact ofthesuri'aceoithecentralbodyportlon llof the anchor member. If, as the thickness ofthenutl ssismadethesameasthe width of the openings in which they are received,'the ear 26 when it is bent up to engage its cooperating lug is advantageously bent along thelineindicated atlinFig. 1 sothattheentire width of the opening lies in the plane of the upturned car. If this were not done, the lug 42 would have to be bent down in order to be inserted and the resulting friction contact between the two parts for restraining the motion of the nut might be too severe and operate virtually as a lock rigidly positioning the nut inone position with respect-to the anchor member, which is not desired. A a; e For clarity of illustration, the distance from the line e in Fig. 1 to the inner'edge of the slot 28 is shown somewhat exaggerated, a.nd it will be appreciated that regardless of the: relation or The structure just described provides many,

features of practical advantage. 7

The limited movement of the nut in the anchor member permits it to be readily centered with respect to the opening through which the engaged bolt or stud passes, even though the anchor member is not fixed to the part to be secured with the opening it in the anchor member exactly aligned with the bore or other opening through which the bolt passes in such part.

. At the same time, the restrained movement of the nut in the-anchor member acts to retain-the plications g nerally where the anchor member issecured toaverticalsurfacesothat if the nut.

were completely free to move in the anchor membeiit would always dropunder the influence of gravity to the lowest possible position in the anchor member immediately upon withdrawal of the bolt from the nut.

The specific form of construction embodying theuseofears bent upsothat theylle in planes substantially normal to the plane of the body portion of the anchor member also has numer ous practical advantages.

Theupstanding ears act in eilect' as bridge members providing relatively great strength and rigidity to the anchor member even though the latter is made from relatively weak metal oi'very thin section. For some applications, notably air crait use where weight is of great importance, this enables anchor members having sufllcient strength to. be made oirelatively weak, light metal of very thin section with consequent saving inweight oi the entire nut assembly in the entire anchor nut unit. 7

For instances where a strong connection is outwardly through a relatively small angle, may

be brought out of engagement with the nut for removal and replacement of the nut. Further,

, because of the use of thevupstanding ears, the

anchor member may readily be fixed in semifinished form, as for instance in the conditionillustrated in Fig. 4, to the part to which it is to be attached andthe nut inserted and secured in assembled position at some time thereafter, simply by bending up one oi the ears to its upstanding position. This is 01 importance particularly in cases where self-locking nuts of the kind shown in Fig. 3 are to be employed and the part to which the anchor member I2 i fastened must be welded or otherwise heated after the anchor member is in place. Under such conditions the elastic material of the lockinginsert 3B in the nut might be damaged by heat if it were attached in assembled condition at the time I the anchor member was fastened and before the parts were subjected to the required heat.

In addition to providing strength to the anchor member it will further be evident that the bridgelike ears passing over the lugs on the nut provide relatively very strong means for preventing displacement of the nut away irom the base of the anchor member under the influence of axial thrust from a bolt.

Referring now to Figures 7 9, a difierent I embodiment of the invention which employs essentially the same underlying principles as are embodied in the form just described, is illus-' trated.

In' thepresent embodiment the anew member l, in blank form shown in Fig. '7, comprises a-central portion having aperture ll therein and longitudinally extending lugs I! and i8, with their respective apertures 20 and 22, es in the form previously described. In the present em-, bodiment, however, the laterally extending ears ill and 52 are of diflferent form than that pre viously described and comprise projections of generally T-shape form extending laterally from the central base portion oi the anchor member. 'I'hese projections have stem portions II and 56 respectively from which fingers II and SI project-lon'gitudinally of the anchor member.

For use with this anchor member a, nut is employed which as to the constructional the mainbody portion issimilar to that previously described but which has a difierent iorm 0! lug or flange projection from the main portion oi. the nutbody. Aswillbesecntrpml lgaaanda the nut is provided with a relatively thin base flange cut' to provide iourprolections I, I. I] a and II at the 'cornersoi the nut.-v Between thethe fiaage isirecessed-ras indicated at I. and between projections 66 and II it is recessed asshown at 12. advantageously, for purposes of symmetry and also reduction in weight a similar recess 14 is formed in the flange between the projections it and 66 and recess 16 is formed between projections 62 and 68.

From Figs. Band 9 and from the previously described form of nut structure, it will be evident that the present form of construction may I line I over the comer projections 62: and 6|. As

20 will be evident from Fig. 8, the length 01 recesses I0 and II is greater than the width of the stems M and 56 of the ears, so that when the latter are bent into position with the fingers overlying the projections on the nut. the nut will have member. Likewise, the depth of the recesses is such that the distance across the base of the nut is less than the distance between the upstanding ears; to provide for lateral play of the nut. While for the purpose of obtaining predetermined Irictional contact for locating the nut in the anchor member the bending of the ears in the manner hereinbeiore described is advantageously employed,.other steps may be taken to be in addition to or in lieu of the previously described procedure. For example, as illustrated in. Fig. 4a one or both of the ears may be bent upwardly along a line such'that the height 11' of the slot is greater than 'the thickness of the projection on! the nut, and the ear slightly de-' formed, after insertion of the nut, to bring it into contact with the projection, by application of force from a punch or other suitable tool alon the line of arrow 9.

In the same manner, fingers 58 or 50, or both,

down by application of force along lines-indicated by arrows h it the vertical height of either 5o :orbmh of the neck portions Bl, 86, is greater than the thickness 01' the cooperating-prolec- V tionon the nut Application of force along lines 0, k, may also, if desired, be employed as a finalcheck operation to insure frictional engagement 5510! the parts regardless of the specific manner in which the are first bent up.

In the forms previously described, the anchor member is intended to be fixed to the part to be fastened on opposite sides 01' the nut. .Other cospeeific arrangements Br fastening the anchor member may be employed, as for instance as shown in Fig. 10, in which the form of nut and cooperating anchoring ears shown in Figs. 1 to 8 are employed with an anchor member havin but a single longitudinally projecting lug 18 provided with apertures '80 and 82, for the reception of suitable fastening rivets or equivalent 'elemanta.-

to shown in, Fig. 10 modified by bending the-lug n' out oi...theplane oi the base portion i! or the anchor member to provide an anchor nut adapted which the anchor. member is fastened.

limited movement longitudinally of the anchor accomplish the desired result, which steps may- 0! the form shown in Figs. 7 to 9 may be bent Fig. 11 illustrates the form oi anchor memberto receive bolt-or stud parallel to the face to In ll'gs.'.12.to it. still another form oi anchor member isillustrated. which is. adapted for smcalledeyeleti'astening to aplatestructure. In this-iormablank is drawn or punched provide an anchoring lug in the form oi a circular tubular portion ll adapted to be riveted over as shown at 88. to secure the anchor membertothepart tlthroughwhichthe boltisto mum flxed predetermined value between said pas. The remainingflatportion oitheblank surrounding the tubular part It is then stamped or otherwise formed to desired shape, which, in the embodiment illustrated. isthe same as that showninl 'lg. l. 7

It will oi course be evident, that the speciflc iorm of anchor member, with respect to portions bywhichitistobeiastenedwtheparttobe held,maybecombinedwithanyoitheillustrated forms of nut retaining ears or any modifications thereof i'alling within the scope of the invention. It will further be evident, that the precise forms oi construction herein illustrated and described by way of example, may be varied without departingirom theseopeorspiritoitheinvention. and that certain features of the invention may be employed to the exelmion or others. It is accordingly understood that the invention is to be consideredasembracingalltha'tialls within thesoopeoitheappendedclaimswhentheyare construed as broadly'as is consistent-with the 'sta'teoithepriorart. r whatisclaimewisz- 1. Anchor nut. structure comprising a main body portion and'a flange portion relatively thin aseomparedwiththebodyportionandprolectinglaterallyiromthebaseoithemainbody.

. tact with theupper suriace otthe flange portion to hold the nut and anchor member in relation and to permit limited movement of the nut relative tothe anchor member. said limited movement being restrained by friction between thepartsduetosaidpressurecontact.

2. A two-piece anchor nut structure consisting I, of anuthavingamairbodyportionoi-oircular cross-section and a D 'QlIecting flange.

portion. andan anchor member an ap' ertured baseportionunderlyingthenuhan anshoring portion projecting from said base portion, and nut securingportions at opposite sides of said base portion, said nut securingfportions extending upwardly at suhtan'tiallygight angles overlying parts of the anchor member and the flange portion of the nut.

4. A two-piece" anchor nut structure consisting of a nut having a main body portion and diametrically opposed lugs projecting laterally from said body portion, and a sheet metal anchor member having a central apertured base portion amderlying the nut, an anchor portion extending from the central apertured portion. and nut retaining portions comprising apertured ears bent upwardly from said central apertured portion at oppositesides oi the nut, said lugs projecting respectively through said apertured ears and the portions of the ears overlying the lugs being bent toward the base portion in predetermined substantially fixed pressure contact with the lu s.

5. Anchor nut comprising a nut hav-' ing a main body portion and diametrically opposed lugs projecting laterally from said body portion, and a sheet metal anchor member having a central apertured portion underlying the nut, an anchor portion extending from thecentral apertured portion, and nut retaining portions comprising apertured ears bent upwardly from said central apertured portion at opposite sides of the nut, said lugs projecting respectively through saidapertured the distance between said bent up ears beinggreater than the distance across the body portion oi the nut and the lengths of the apertures being greater than the wldtholf saidlugswherebytopermitlimited movement of the, nut in lateral direction with respect to the anchor member.

6. Anchor nut structure comprising a nut having 'a main body portion and a flange portion' projecting laterally from said body portion. saiddisuse portion being at opposite sides the not at either sideoi the recess "I. A sheet metal anchor memberior use with.

nut 01 the kind having relatively thin luss Droiromvthe opposite sides of the bottom of aperturedcentralportion adapted I to underlie a nut. an anchoring portion'extend-- totheplaneoisaid'baseportionandaaidupwa'rdly extending having surfaces overdyingcertaihpartsoitheflahflportionoithe nut. the distance between-said upwardly bent portions being greater than the diameter or the nut andsaid portionsbeing shaped to permit lateral movement of the not between said upturned portionsintheplaneoisaidbaseportion.

3. Atwo-piece anchor nut structure consisting of a sheet metal anchor member and a flanged nut, certain portionsoi said anchor member being bentupwardlyandpartsoisaidupwardly extending portions overlying the flange portion oi the nut to retain the nut within the anchormember with limited movement in all lateral di-J rectionsandtorestrainthenutinits limitedlat near. at right angles to the' planeoithe central portion to provide a relatively narrow and elongated loop one of said lugs to retain thev nut in assembied'relation in the anchor memben 8.Asheetmetalanchormemberiorusewith nuts oi the kind having relatively thin lugs pro- I jecting iron the opposite sides of the bottom of the main body portion of the nut, said member comprising an apertured central portion adapted to underlie anut, an anchoringportion extend- 8 from said central portion, and nut retaining portions projecting from opposite sidesoi said centralportiomeachoi'saidproiectionsbeingoi eral movement dueto contact d Ibis generally T-sbaped iormtoprovide ahead porthe flange porbody-portion oi the nut, said member said central portion, and nut retaining tion, bending portionof the ma.

10. A two-piece anchor nut structure consist--' a w ,7 r smashes tion adapted to engage the upper surface of ofsaid lugs to retain the nut in assembled 'relation with the anchor member.

one

9. The method of producing two-piece-anchor nut structures of the kind in which a-flanged nut is retained in a sheet metaleanchor member which consists in to a nut having laterally projecting flange portions, forming a sheet metal anchor member to have a central portion and pposed nut retaining portions each shaped to provide an opening when the nut retaining portion is bent upwardly into a plane approximately at right angles to the plane of the central por'- one of said portions upwardly into such plane along a line such that the height. of

the opening the flange over said central portion with the projecting flange portion at. one side oi the nut extending through the bent up nut retaining portion and with the bottom surfaceot the nut at an angle is 8 31! less than the thickness of portions oi'the nut. placing thenut to the plane of thecentral portion of the anchor memberpior'cing the bottom surface 0! the nutinto contact with the central portion of the anchor member and thereafter bending the remaining nut retaining portion of the anchor member over the remaining projecting flange ing or a flat bottomed nuthaving opposed laterally projecting. lugs projecting. from the base portion'thereoi and a sheet metal anchor-member bent .to li -shaped iormfin transverse cross-x bfOiBOt and portions of the side walls above'the lugs being bent toward the base otthe anchor member to producefpredeternnned frictional contactbetween the base of the nu't'and the base portionoi' the anchor' member. w a

' 11.1 two-piece anchor nut structure nonnating of a nut'having a main laterally I P rtion.

and anextending from said base extending from the flangeportion of the flange base ofsaid body portion, and an anchor member having abase portion and extending upwardly from berin the plane or said movement being're'strainedpy trictiondue to V "saidpressurecon Y CARL- A. BWANS'I'BOM.

tion underlying the nut; an anchoring portion taining portions extending. upwardly from opposite sides of said base portion, the flange portion of. the nut engaging-said upwardly extendin: portions to hold the nut and anchor member 'in' ;assem'bled relation and to permit limited movement oi the nutrelatlve to the the plane'oi' said base portion. r

member in 12. A two-piece anchor .nut structure consisting oi'a nut having a main body portion'and alaterally projecting flange portion, and an anchor member having an apertured-base portion underlying said base tainingportions extending'upwardly from opposite-sides of said base portion, said upwardly exsurfaces thereon engaged.

tending portions and with pressure contact by the upper surface of nut to hold the nut and the anchor member in assembled relation,

and to permit movement of the nut'reia-' "'tive to the anchor member in the plane of said base portion, said limited movement being restrained by irictionibetween the parts due to said pressure contact.

' 13; A two-pieceganchor nut structure-consisting'of. a nut having a body portion and opposed portions projecting laterally from the x 5 v anchor member having an apertured base porportion and. nut rethe-nutr'an anchoring portion portion and nut re,

angles thereto. the opposed. 

